I Can't Stand The Rain
by Scarlet Alapaap
Summary: Two people share the same sentiment about the rain. Kogure x Ayako


Because the rain has this weird effect on me, I had this sudden inspiration to write a one-shot. About the rain. Great. In case you haven't noticed, I like it when it rains in my stories. :) In real life though, I'm really peeved by it.

_I Can't Stand The Rain_ is a song performed by Janis Joplin, and is one of my favourite songs ever. But even if the title of my story and Janis Joplin's song is the same, it's not entirely based on the song. The title fits the story perfectly (or maybe it's just me).

I took a long break from writing, so I don't fully trust my grammar all the more. Let me know some errors so that I can do something about it.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Slam Dunk because I'm not filthy rich. And I was only a kid when they first released it. Too bad, too sad.

**Nota Bene: **Statements starting and ending with single quotation marks are the characters' thoughts. Those with numbers after them have explanations at the end of the story. Oh yes, I've this tendency to sound cheesy, so if by some chance you happen to spot a cheesy statement, situation, whatever as long as it is cheesy, do point it out. Thank you! :)

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**I Can't Stand The Rain**

**Scarlet Alapaap**

The moment he saw the clouds shifted from immaculate white to a very dull gray, Kogure Kiminobu knew he should have brought his umbrella with him. For a smart guy, he totally forgot to bring his umbrella; how odd was that? Well, he did not exactly forget it; he intentionally left it sitting comfortably on their couch. Thinking about how Mother Nature had been living up to her queen of mood swings reputation, the vice-captain of Shohoku High School's basketball team deemed it safe to leave his umbrella behind in the hopes of having a sunny afternoon. As he had keenly observed behind his glasses, the rain would pour in the afternoon after an extremely hot morning and vice versa. Today as he headed for his school, the sky was as gloomy as a funeral and the stratus clouds made the atmosphere a little creepy for it was dark and ashy. Confident with his hypothesis that it would not pour in the afternoon, he shrugged the idea of preparedness and continued his way to Shohoku.

However, he was human. He had no special powers and he did not practice witchcraft of any kind. Kogure was not a weather reporter either. Today, his assumptions were apparently wrong. The sight of a blurry environment and droplets of rain seemed like Mother Nature was mocking him, rubbing in his face that his assumptions were but a joke. The bespectacled lad could only sigh, scratching his head as he stood at the school's entrance, frustration enveloping him.

Basketball practice ended earlier than usual, but since he decided to do a little more research in their library for his History assignment, Kogure seemed like he was the only student left in the school premises along with some of the faculty and the guards. It was almost six thirty in his watch. Realizing that he might be coming home a little later than usual, he sighed once again, reminding himself to always bring an umbrella with him if he wanted to go home as soon as possible.

He was a pretty normal kid. His class standings were higher than usual and he was the vice-captain of the basketball team, though not among the stellar players of the Kanagawa district, but he actually did not mind that part. He was contented sharing the victory with his teammates, watching them run to and fro the basketball court. He was one of those people who would least likely get himself in any kind of trouble—academic mishaps, gang fights and even arguments. Sometimes, people around him find Kogure too good to be true. He shrugged at that idea. He was just raised by his parents—and grandparents in his current case—to be proper with people. His personality would most likely tell you that he was generally a very tolerant and patient lad, but unknown to most people, there was one thing that he could not tolerate and really tested his patience to the limit.

"Yare-yare." He muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

That one thing that peeved him so much was the rain.

Drizzle, deluge, downpour—no matter how people say it and classify it, they all sounded annoying to him; the rain. You could make him fall in absurd queues or make him wait for an hour in a very busy mall, but you could never make him appreciate the rain. If cursing was necessary to include every statement, he could have cursed all the cuss words known to man just because it was raining. The pitter-patter produced by the droplets as it would hit the ground, the roof or the windows were not his kind of music. In fact, now that all he was hearing was the steady beat of the rain hitting the concrete pathway leading to the school gate, Kogure was tempted to cover his ears with his hands to block the noise.

He decided to let the rain pass so that he could go home dry, but the skies roared harder as peals of thunder echoed throughout the district. Great, it was just great. The rain had to show no signs of weakening, which meant he must stay longer in the school premises.

Annoyed and somehow feeling defeated, Kogure plopped his duffel bag beside him as he sat on the floor of the school's entrance. Momentarily letting his mind drift off a little bit, a tap on the head managed to stop him from completely swimming in reverie.

"I see you're stuck in school, as well, Kogure-sempai."

He reluctantly turned round to see who tapped what seemed like paper on the top of his head and saw Ayako, the team manager, paper fan on her hand, clad in her uniform, looking fresh as ever.

"I forgot—no, I intentionally left my umbrella at home." He said, smiling weakly. It had become obvious to her that there was something different with her senior.

"Intentionally left your umbrella at home?" She repeated, her brows furrowing. "How possible is that?"

He smirked, but it looked more annoyed than a half-smile. "I thought my predictions were right. Apparently, I'm wrong." He sighed after his last statement.

Ayako primly sat beside Kogure, strategically holding her skirt in place to avoid any accidental and unwanted glances. She carefully tucked her paper fan inside her bag and placed it in front of her, resting comfortably on her feet. She tucked some of the loose curly locks behind her ears and glanced at the glum-filled boy sitting beside her, his shoulders hunched and his chin resting on his palms. He wore an empty stare, something that was definitely new to her sight. She had seen him stare several times already, but those were intense stares he sported during basketball matches. Concern was what she currently felt for her senior, fearing that he could be bothered by his academics or maybe he was feeling a bit anxious because their game against Kainandaifuzoku [1] was only a few days from now. Placing her hand carefully on his leg, she managed to catch the bespectacled lad's attention making him face her.

"Daijo bu, sempai?" She asked. Her brown eyes gleamed worry.

He smiled, but it was unlike the weak smile he gave her earlier. "I'm perfectly well, Ayako-chan. It's just that…" He trailed off as he glanced at the concrete path, wet and muddy from all the rain.

The young lady looked at the direction where her senior was staring and then it dawned to her. "You don't like the rain, do you?" She faced him again, half-smiling.

The lad nodded. "I never enjoyed it when it rains." He muttered, still staring at the muddied concrete.

Somehow, Ayako could relate to what Kogure was currently feeling. Like him, Ayako had never been a fan of the deluge even if it were a staple in most of the chick flicks and romance novels she had watched and read, and some, dreaded watching and reading. It gave people this tingling feeling she never understood every time her girl friends would talk about how romantic the rain was and how nice it would feel to be with someone in this kind of dark, cold and chill weather. No, she did not fancy that. Cheesy was not synonymous to Ayako and she deemed it would never ever be.

"I never liked it either." She agreed, frowning as she observed her surroundings.

Thank God there was a cement roof shielding them from Mother Nature's tears. Nevertheless, even if the rain was steady, it was pouring hard enough to allow puddles of water to form at the side of the entrance. Ayako saw a puddle on her right that was slowly increasing in length, making her move a little to her left, a little closer to her senior. He was still in deep thought and staring blankly at the blurry environment they were in.

"I think we better go back inside. The puddles are chasing us." Kogure muttered as he stood up, carrying with him his duffel bag. He offered his hand for Ayako to take to help her up. She took it, dusted herself off the moment she was standing and followed him inside.

"Where do we stay now, Kogure-sempai?" She inquired, her eyes wandering at the moment. She could hardly see anything for the corridor was a bit dark already. The guard who was taking rounds probably switched the lights off already.

"The library has closed awhile ago. Maybe we can stay at the gym." He suggested.

The rain had this strange effect on him. It made him quiet, almost as quiet as Rukawa Kaede, his teammate and Shohoku's renowned freezer [2]. He felt indolent to talk about anything whenever it rained. Kogure felt like the rain had a penchant of sapping his soul out of him. It made him want to stop doing anything and just stare and continue to hate the rain more.

Ayako, however, was quick to notice his unbecoming character today. During practice, she felt like she was watching someone practice martial arts on a dummy, only it was a rubber ball that kept hitting him on his head or on his abdomen and not his teammates' fists or shins, which was unusual for a young man of focus just like him. After practice, she overheard their team captain Akagi Takenori reprimand him for not concentrating even during his classes. He must have really hated the rain so much it affected him, she noted.

"Are you sure you're fine, sempai?" She asked again, catching up with his pace and was now walking beside him.

From the dim light out the window, she saw him nod, a smile carved on his lips. Maybe it was just the rain.

Fumbling for keys inside his duffel bag, Kogure retrieved his duplicate key and unlocked the metal door. Sliding it to the left, Ayako went ahead and turned the lights on.

Kogure removed his black shoes before heading to the middle of the court as customary to students when entering the gym. The gym to them was like the Holy of Holies during the Old Testament where nothing impure could ever go inside. In their case though, only basketball shoes were allowed to touch the wooden floor [3]. He carried it with him, allowing it to rest on his bag. Ayako followed suit, also removing her shoes. She tiptoed going to where her senior seated to prevent slipping since the wooden floor had just been polished.

The bespectacled lad sighed in frustration. The rain did not seem like it wanted to stop, which could only mean he had to stay a little longer. He could not help but feel worried about his grandparents who might have called for a search party just to find him. And since the school had no available payphones at the moment, he could only scratch his head in annoyance, messing up his already somewhat unruly hair. Frustration nearly getting the better of him, Kogure lied down on the floor. He could feel its coolness seeping through his white uniform as it wrestled with the warmth of his back.

"You said you never liked the rain, sempai. May I know why?" Ayako asked, hoping it would somehow relieve him of the frustration he had been exhibiting and she had been noticing since they were at the entrance.

He closed his eyes and breathed heavily. "Though I haven't really had any bad memories while it's raining, it's really unappealing to me. Maybe because I don't find the pitter-patter of the droplets relaxing or maybe because it's hard to stay warm especially if the rain persisted, inviting with it its best friend, the mighty wind. I don't know. I just don't like the rain."

It was pretty amusing to discover that the only thing that could tick the usually gentle and understanding vice-captain was the rain; the rain that had no inclination to him whatsoever, the rain that watered the agricultural fields, the rain that cleansed some of the airborne viruses known to man [4]. He could not be pissed off by Rukawa Kaede and Hanamichi Sakuragi's unending brawl on and off court or by the shrieks of the Rukawa Brigade, no. He had to be pissed off by the rain, of all things.

"What about you, Ayako-chan. Why do you hate the rain?" He returned her question, still lying on his back. This time though he turned to face his junior who was sitting not so far from him.

Hate was such a strong word, but it fitted perfectly. Her dislike for the downpour was tantamount to the impact of the word _hate_. She tried to hide the blush that plastered itself on her face. Ayako swept her hair nonchalantly to the side facing her senior, hoping to conceal the rosiness of her cheeks. "Promise me you won't laugh at me or mock me if I tell you why?"

At this, she heard his senior snicker. "Of course, Ayako-chan!"

That moment, Ayako wanted to let out a cheeky cackle for she knew how embarrassing her reason was for hating the rain, but what the heck. It was not like Kogure would even tease her about it. Or laugh at her in her face.

"The rain reminds me of something I admit I've been unwilling to acknowledge." She started, feeling more warmth escaping her cheeks. Pretty soon, she might see herself beet red.

"And that is?" The bespectacled lad asked, apparently curious. He sat up straight as he adjusted his glasses. His hair looked like he just got out of bed, but he did not really bother fixing it.

Hesitance to answer was evident in Ayako's actions as she turned to look at him, her eyes seemed like they were pleading for him not to wait for her reply, though she was going to say it anyway. For Pete's sake, she was only talking to Kogure. How hard could it be telling him the truth? Sighing heavily, Ayako closed her eyes and kept her gaze glued on the floor when she opened them.

"Alone." She mumbled. "I can't stand the fact that every time it rains I know I'm going to be alone on a rainy day."

That surely surprised Kogure. Obviously, it was not what he expected to hear coming from a lady with a very strong personality and somewhat intimidating presence. Kogure had always admired her character, a break from the typical feeble females he had encountered all his life. She had this power in her that did not come off manly, but in a queer, lady-like way; feminine if you may. The amount of authority she exhibited almost rivaled Akagi's, but it did not come off as terrifying. Funny and weird as it might seem, but if he would liken Ayako's authority to something, he would liken it to a mother's, because that was what she was; motherly, but it did not come off too girly as most girls exhibited. Moreover, he had always perceived her to be someone who hardly cared about things like being alone on a rainy day. Apparently, he was wrong again. For a smart guy, his presumptions were not trustworthy, he realized. He should just quit assuming things.

"You must be laughing in your head right now, Kogure-sempai." Ayako muttered after her senior did not respond to her statement. What seemed like the colour of cherries added some hue to her face, he noticed. The young lad smiled.

"I admit it's a pretty weird reason, but just to assure you, I'm not laughing in my thoughts." He commented. Somehow, his frustration was slowly ebbing even if the rain proceeded, with the droplets hitting the gym's roof as their background music. "At least it's not as pathetic as my reason." He snorted.

Still blushing from her confession, Ayako managed to look up and flash a sheepish grin at Kogure. "That's the honest answer to why I hate the rain so much. Normally, I tell my friends that I don't want my shoes to be muddy or my legs to be wet, stuff like that." She managed to let out an awkward snicker. "Please don't tell anyone about it." She whispered loud enough for Kogure to hear.

"But you have Miyagi-san. You can't be alone." Kogure stated. He found it weird when he did not see her blush harder at the sound of her admirer's name. He found it weirder when he saw her sigh and stared at the floor.

"You actually think that? You don't know anything, sempai." Ayako smirked as she rolled her eyes. "The boy's in love with me, I'm fully aware. But I just don't like him. I feel bad for Ryota every time I'd see him try his best to get my attention because I just can't reciprocate whatever feelings he has for me."

He pushed the bridge of his glasses up his nose. "Would you mind if I ask you why you don't like him?"

This time, the young lady managed to glance at him, her blush fading away like make-up. She smiled at him. "I'm just like you, Kogure-sempai when it comes to rain. I have no idea why I don't like him. I just don't like him."

Kogure could only nod at her reply. Yes, there were things in life that you just dislike even if you have no logical reasons to support your aversion, just like the rain to Kogure and a certain point guard to Ayako. Funny how life would throw things at you and give you pathetic reasons—reasons such as 'I just don't like it'—to continue your disinterest over something, or someone even.

"Well, you're not alone now." He said, glancing at the young lady sitting a few inches away from him.

Ayako snickered as she glanced back at the smiling lad. "So I've noticed."

Tranquillity once again blanketed them as the deluge continued with its monotonous rhythm. However, it was not the kind of silence that induced awkwardness, but evoked comfort; comfort that finally, Ayako was not alone for the moment. The tingling feeling that her friends told her about was absent; nonetheless, she was fine with it. Having the vice-captain for company while Mother Nature wailed like a baby outside made her overtime at Shohoku bearable. There was the rain they both hated, and there they sat inside the gym, taking in the gloomy yet strangely soothing atmosphere that the deluge exuded. It still pissed the hell out of him, but tonight he felt a little better than earlier. Maybe because like Ayako, Kogure finally had someone he was stuck with while he waited for the skies to finish weeping. Yes, he supposed that reason was acceptable because he realized she was right; it almost felt painfully lonely going solo on a rainy day with nothing but a dripping umbrella to keep you company. Maybe, just maybe, it was also the very reason why Kogure never appreciated the rain.

It was 7:30 in his watch now. About an hour ago, he thought he and Ayako would have an impromptu sleepover in the gym. The rain was finally over, thank God. Smiling, Kogure got up, lifted his duffel bag and walked towards Ayako.

"Let's go." He invited.

It was hard to imagine that it was raining hard earlier. The whole school was tranquil since the song of Mother Nature's weeping no longer played. It left puddles scattered all over the place; a souvenir from the skies perhaps and a reminder that, that evening, it had to let out all the tears it had been holding back. They exited the gate, now heading for the train station just walking distance from their school.

"Gomen nasai, Kogure-sempai." Ayako mumbled, trying to suppress the smile that was slowly forming on her lips.

"Eh? Sorry for what?" The bespectacled lad glanced at her, perplexity written all over his face.

"I haven't been completely honest with you the whole time, you see." She confessed. This time though, she smiled cheekily and was blushing, but was trying to stifle her giggles.

Totally confused by his junior's apology, Kogure stopped on his tracks and turned to Ayako. "What do you mean you haven't been completely honest with me?"

Still stifling her giggles, Ayako searched inside her bag, shuffling her things as if she was finding a measly bull pin in a pool of staple wires. She felt a soft, velvety cloth touching her fingers. Ayako quickly grabbed it from her bag and revealed a pink umbrella, neatly folded and obviously dry.

Kogure could only gape in amusement as Ayako finally burst into giggles.

"Yare-yare." He sighed. Pretty soon, he too, was sharing the cheery mood of the team manager.

[End]

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[1] If I'm correct, Kainandaifuzoku is like the longer name for Kainan. And my manga says so, hehe.

[2] People have been describing Rukawa to be a walking ice block, so I thought I'd liken him to a freezer. :)

[3] I'm not so sure about this, but if we consider the episode where Mitsui and his gang gatecrashed during the basketball team's practice, the team members told Mitsui and his gang to take off their shoes. That's my basis.

[4] Someone sent me an SMS saying that airborne viruses can be eliminated when it rains. I hope he's right.

Kinda long don't you think? Thanks for reading and I'm hoping to hear some comments/suggestions/reactions from you! :D Thank you once again!


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